Nurses for the Mission Field

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 20, 1916

Nurses for the Mission Field

A LETTER received from one of our workers in a mission field tells of the need of more nurses, and gives some suggestions concerning the qualifications of prospective workers which are worthy of consideration by any who contemplate such work. We quote from the letter:—

“One who is devoting her life to genuine missionary work will find the work here intensely interesting. Of course, like all other walks of life, it is not divested of unpleasant phases. There are advantages and disadvantages in all fields. During certain months the heat may be somewhat trying, but there are usually periods of delightful weather. The abundance of tropical fruit is an attraction, but the greatest attraction is the need of the people.

“Our work is carried on as a phase of the regular denominational work. When there are no calls for paid nurses, they spend their time in distributing literature, holding Bible readings, visiting the sick poor, or in some other work. So we want not only good, efficient nurses to minister to the physical being, but those who are able to minister to the spiritual needs as well. One who enjoys doing Bible work and knows how to nurse is more likely to be successful as a missionary nurse than a good nurse who does not have an inclination to do Bible work. The Bible tells us, ‘Good understanding giveth favor.’

“Not all graduate nurses are missionary nurses. Perhaps the responsibility for this unfortunate condition is divided between the nurses and the institutions that train them. As much stress should be laid on the missionary phase of the work as on the technical training; at the same time, missionary nurses cannot be developed if the individuals themselves are not willing subjects.

“A two-thousand-mile journey, more or less, does not change one’s disposition or desires. It does not give impatient persons patience, neither does it change one’s appetite or desire for pleasures and associations that do not blend with the standards that are held by us as a people.

“The mission field is not interested in carrying on nurses’ work from the standpoint of financial gain, beyond a self-supporting basis. The purpose is to gain entrance into the hearts and homes of the people with the message we represent.

“The natives in this particular field are a mixture of color. While most of the paid nursing is among the strictly white inhabitants, the color line cannot be adhered to too closely by the missionary nurse. We are here principally to help the people of the country, and nursing among the foreigners is only a means to support our workers who for a portion of their time can exert a strong influence upon the natives directly. There are many who have just as honest hearts as we, and who love this message when it is brought to them. One who is opposed to working for the colored of any hue ought to remain in the States.

“The love of display in dress and jewelry is common to all races. Our workers should be examples to them in hygienic dress, and by refraining from the use of gold and other unnecessary adornment. These may seem small matters, but they indicate the trend of character, and only those whose lives are in harmony with the instruction of the Scriptures should take up foreign missionary work, else our teaching to this people is in vain.

“One sister who has recently come to us is having good success, and is leaving a good impression wherever she goes. She has more calls than she can possibly fill; and during the first few weeks she more than earned her salary, with an additional month for work among the natives and for the study of the language. She was called to a distant place for about three weeks, then to a city hospital for a night, and to another for three nights. We now have a call to place a nurse in the home of a Presbyterian missionary.

“From this you can see how vital it is that we have nurses who properly represent the message. They have a field all their own, which they can develop by becoming acquainted with the leading physicians, introducing our nurses’ bureau, if one exists, our health principles and literature, etc.”